Expanding well-digging bit.



C. A. REAGAN.

EXPANDING WELL DIGGING BITi APPLIGATION FILED 1113,26. 191s.

Patented May 5, 1914.

CASWELL A. BEGAN, OFFELLOWS, CALIFORNIA.

EXPANDING WELL-DIGGING '.BI'Y.

rosario Specication of lietters Patent. r

Patented May 5, gide.

Application led February 26, 1913. Serial No. 750,905.

To all whom it may concern Be it known thatV I, CASWELL A. REAGAN, :i citizen ofthe 'United States, residing at Fellows, in the county of Kern and State of California, have invented a new and useful Expanding Well-Digging Bit, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application isa cutting structure adapted to be lowered into-a well tubing, and to be. assembled with the shoe at the lower end of the tubing,.to the end that when the tubing and the shoe are rotated, the cutting structure will be rotated likewise.

The invention aims to provide novel means for directing the cutting structure into the place in the shoe, to provide novel means for locking the cutting structure to the shoe, for rotation therewith, to provide a cutting structure which will expand automatically beyond the contour of the shoe, so as to iisliion an opening, in advance' oi the slice, of greater diameter than the shoe.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 'vide novel means whereby the cutting structure muy belowered into the well tubing and with equal facility be reino-ved therefrom.

It is within the scope of the invention to' improve genenally, and to'enhanc'e the utility of, devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

lilith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides iii the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described 'and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ln the drawing :-Figure l shows the invention in vertical longitudinal section,parts beingsbown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a transversesection on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; Fig. l is a transverse section on the line oi' l; Fig. 5 is a transverse sec tion on the line 5 5 of Fig. l; Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. l; Fig. 7 is n transverse section on the line 7- v'i' of Fig. l.; Fig. l8 Iis a transverse section on the line 8-8vof Figi; and Fig. 9 is a frag-mental longitudinal section, the bits being advanced and drawn together.

ln the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a section of the welly tubing, to the lower end of whicha shoe 2 of tubular form is attached, by threading or otherwise. ln the interior of the shoe 2 are sinuous grooves 3, at the lower end of which, transverse recesses 4 are formed, in the interior of the shoe 2, the lower edges ot the recesses 4 defining shoulders 5. In the lower end of the shoe 2 there are oppositely disposed slots 55.

The invention further includes a cutting member which Ais adapted to be lowered into the shoe 2. The cutting member comprises a body 6 having at its upper end, a flangeA 7 provided with peripheral notches 8. The primary bore of it body 6 is 'indicated by the numerai 10, and into the upper end of [ALU the bore 10 is threaded or otherwise secureda plug 11. Below primary bore l0, the body 6 isequipped with transverse slots 12 communicating with the bore l0. -n the outer face of thebcdy 6 there is an annular recess 14. A slot l5 extends transversely through the body' 6 and at its ends opens into the annular recessie. Located below ,the slot 15` and communicating therewith is a secondary bore i6, the upper end'of which V is closed by a plug "17 which may be thread ed into place. The lower end. of the secondary bore 16 is reduced in diameter as -indicated at18. Below the reduced portion 18 of the bore 16, the body 6 is provided with transversely disposed slots i9 having lateral extensions 2O which 1re prolonged through the outer face orc the body 6,' at the lower end of the body. The upper ends of the slots 19 define shoulders 21 and the upper ends ot the extensionsd define shoulder 22. Rigidly held in place upon thebody and extended across the opening defined by the extensions 20 is a stop 23. A main plunger 24 is provided, the seme being equipped at its upper end witha head The plunger 2d is mounted vto slide in the plug l1 and is provided adjacent its lower end with a head 26, the lower end of which is rendered wedge-shaped as indicated at 2?', the head 26 being mounted to slide in the primary bore 10 of the body C.

'the plunger 24 and abuis at one end againstl A compression spring 28 surrounds the plug 1i, the other end of the spring 28 abutting against the upper face of the -end 27 of the plunger. The wedge-shaped extension 27 of the heed 2G is adapted'to en'- gage the beveled ends 29 of a` pair of -keys 3() which nre mounted to slide in the transverse slots 10. The keys 30 are equipped with. slots 315 receiving pills 32, tile Apins beingl terminally secured in tile bod)7 G. The pills :l2 serve to limit ille movement of ille keys BO, transversely of the llead 6.

All auxiliarlr plunger 39 is located in the secondary bore 16 of illey body G and is lleld for sliding nlovelnenl.- in ille reduced portions 18 o ille bore 1G. Al; its upper end, the auxiliary lillunger is provided 'Willi a llead 34e wlliell is adapted to abul; againsl'l tile plug 1T. A ro( eliiends tllrougll ille llead 34, lle ends' of tlle rod being mounted to slide in ille lrallsverse slot l5 wlliell Colnnlunieaies Willi tile annular recess lll of tlle bodT G. Tile ends of tile rod. 35 are secured in an expansion ring 3G wlliell majr be of Wedge-shape. j[lle expansion ring; being received lvitllin a resilient gasket 37 located in lllereeess Il. Tile expansion ring 36 and the resilient gasket 3'? constitute what, for Convenience may be dominated an annular packing nlenlber.1 A com pression spring 38 is located in llle secondary bore 16,'one end of the eonll'lressioll spring 3S abutting against Jelle l'leac Lille other end for' lglle spring abut-lling; against tile lower porlion of 'tile head G. A, pill 39 exl'ends iransverselY lllrougll l-lle lower end of the allxilialfyv plunger 33, lille pin oeing loealed in tbe slots i9. The upper ends of bilis si() are pivorallvengaged upon zl'le ends of Jdie pin 89. for movement` in a eonlmon plane with ille pin, ille bits being` overlapped upon ellell olllel', and being halved together as shown at lll. 'Ille upper ends of ille bits 4.() are denoted by tile nlllnel'als 49.. Tile bits Ll() are laterallv er;- tended 'to define shoulders' lil, Below Ytile pill 39, ille bis ll are equipped with recesses el and below ille reee es fl-fl are located shoulders vwhich proleel: toward eaell other. The bits 40. below `llle slloulders 43 are provided Willi down 'ardly diverging', inclined edges 4G.

A fishing nlell'lber is provided, tile saule Comprising ay llead fl? to lvlliell a pipe or rod i8 may be secured by threading or olllerlviee. Tlle llead i7 provided with a bore elf) ill lvlliell a main plunger Qi is slidably l'eeeivell, tllele beine` ll irallsv vrse slol in lille llezld il?, communicating lvll'gll ille upper end of ille llore ll. All alelled spring` .il is locali-d in llle sloi 5G. ille al'nl pollions o'fllle springy 51 alnllliliL against ille bead di', al Jtile 11p-pel' end of llle llore elf). ille spring. :3l beine' prol'ifled uitll il'llfaldly projeetillgi" pa 'ls 5i?. Alflle snl'illg :3l is lleld nl plaee ll) a re nlug lllelllber Si? wlliell may lle. a'lzen'n'l'fabte bloeit', tlle saine being` interposed leln'een llle upper end ol tlie spring .l and ille upper Wall oil: ille slot 50. Secured l'o ille outer face of llle llead 47, belen' ille slot 30. are a pllllalilj,l

of eolll'exed resilient a lil-,os 54:, adapted lo be received in ille noie-lies 8 in tile flange T oli elle member 6.

lllllen it is desired lo lower elle eutlillg Inen'lber into 4lelle lube. ille retaininglllelllber 53 is lvillildl'alrn ont of ille sloe- 50 in ille llead 1li?, lo sel ille spring l free, lille spring 51 beingu removed. rllle lower ends o tlle alnls 54j of lille llead 4"? are engaged in ille notelles 8 and exlend bel'lealll ille flange T. The. spring 28 abulis against lille plug il and against, ille llead 26 of libe lnain plunger pushing' elle lllain plunger downwardly, so l'llat. tile lvedgesllaped extension 27 ol" 'lille head Q6 will engage Willi the beveledmends 29 oli tile keys Slt), forcing ille lleys l0 oui Wardly. Tile biis eil) are drawn downnardly, inlo ille position sl'lowll in Fig. 9, tlle allxiliarjv plunger 33 riding in the portion i8 of lle secondary bore 16. The bits 410 are then elvung together as sllolvll in Fig. i), the lined stop beingl reeeired in tile recesses /la Tile eu'ting strueiure is tllen lowered by n'leans off tile isllilllr lool. into ille tube l, lvlleleullon, ille projeel'irl ends oilx elle lzejfs 3() will ride into tile sinuells grof/les 3 and arrive ultilllately in ille 13e-- 4l. llle llodj7 nlenlber rllen l'otaed', tllis oleratioin being lloesible by reason or" ille filet tllat ille lower ends of ille arlns 5d are` engaged :ill tile. nolelles S in alle liange i'. lllllen tile body t5 is rotated in "alle manner llereinllelft'll'e desl'lribed, lille ends el 'tile kers 30 will arrive in lille ends of vthe reeessesl, and illus the body G vill be lleld aggainsl' upward movement, i

lllllen ll'le keys il() abut against ille lower edges of ille recesses lille bilis 4 0 will be so positioned llat they may expand, ino lle position sllolvn ill l? l. lllllell 'elle slloe 7 no longer exerts pressure against llleiedefe of tile bits l-O, lille spring` 38 will force 'lille auxiliary plunger 33 upwardly, lglle Siloneders Ll5 sliding along o plvloslte edges ol rl fixed slop 23, and therebyv expanding lille bits il'llo lille positions sllou'll in Fig. ,lf 'llle shoulders 43 of ille bits will eonleinto abutlnenf; willl ille shoulders E22 ol ille bodv lllenlbel' (l, and ille upper ends 4.? of ille bilis will eollle into loutaet u'itll ille shoulders 2l.. tlle pol-tionsl Ll of ille blls being ellen( al in ltile slots 20. and. ille oulier edges -lll .f ille 'linnn bits being;` elleaged iii lll-e grooves ofi. ille. bits l0 will be disposed in expanded enndilion. as sl'll'lu'n ill l. upward moreH nient olE J[lle boda' il being `prevented by ille engagement llelu'een ille ends o1" lzlle lievs 30 and tile recesses el. l' elle tubing l and ille slloe 2 be rotated, lotalory lnovelnent. Will be imparted to t'lle bilis 40, and the bifts 4.0 will elli7 in advance of ille slioe l2", a llole wlliell is of greater diameter illall lllat of tile slloe. So soon as tlle cutting nleehanisnl llasI tlle ilead ULT oi ille fishing tool is drawn upnull-diy by means of tile rod or pipe 48, elle been plaeed, as vllereinbeiore desoribei' Loenen;

arms 54 springing outwardly and releasing 1 their hold upon the flange 7 of the body 6.

taining vhead 2G will To removp the cutting mechanism from the tubing l, the spring 5l is mounted in the slot .5,0 and is held in place by the remember 53. lf, now, the head 47 and attendantparts be lowered into the tub-v ing l, the'pawls 52 of the spring ol'will engage with the head of the mainv lunger 24, so that the plunger 2fland the ead 6, together with the attached parts, may be drawn upwardly. 'When tension is applied to the main plunger Mathe spring 2S will be put under compression, and the be' lifted. so that the wedgeshaped extension 27' of the head no longer engages with the beveled ends Q9 of the keys 30. The keys 30 will thus be set rtree, and the tool may be rotated, through the-medium of the arms 54, so that the ends ot the kevs 30 may ride into the sinuous grooves 3.

' wardly,

in the well.

lWhen an upward pull is exerted on the head o, in the manner hereinbefore described, the pressure of the loose material upon the edges 4G ot the bits d0, will tend to hold the bits 40 down when the head moves upwardly, so .that the fixed stop 23 may ride int-o therecesses 44, the spring 38 bein'g put under tension, and the auxiliary plunger 33 sliding downwardly. VThereupon the bits ei() wil-l move together as shown in Fig. 9, so as to traverse readily, the interior ot' the shoe 2. and the tube l. It is to be noted that when the bits 40 lswing laterallyainto the positions shown in Fig. 1,'the auxiliary plunger 33 moves upand when the plunger 33 moves up-v wardly, the rod 35 will be carried upwardly, the rod 35 carrying the expansion ring 36 upwardly, thereby compressingthe gasket 37 outwardly against the inner face of the. shoe 4. The foregoing operation takes place when the cutting mechanism is seated When, however, the .cutting mechanism is removed fremd-he well, the auxiliary plunger 33 moves downwardly, into the position4 shown in Fig. 9. When the auxiliary plunger 33 moves downwardly, the pin 35 and the expansion ring 36 are carried downwardly., and consequently, thev pressure of the gasket 38 againstthe shoe -2 is release-d, the transverse slots l5 serving to permit the rod to have the necessary sliding movement.

Having .thus described the invention, what is claimed is l. in a device of the class described, ex-

. pansible bits; an annular packingvmember comprlsing a relatively fixed part and a movable part, one otl which parts is beveled to expand the other, and means for connecting one ot said parts with the bits to effect the expansion of the packing member when the bits are expanded.

'2. In a device of the class described, a

. a. sinuous groove terminatin body; an annular packing member extended transversely of the body and including a wedge shaped element upwardly movable on the annular packing member; bits pivoted to the said rigid structure; and a projection upon the body, engageable by the adjacent edges of the bits to hold the bits expanded.

3. In a device of the class described, a body; a packing member, a part of' which is upwardly movable upon the body; a rigid structure connected with the said part; a bit pivoted to the rigid structure; a projection upon the body engaging the inner' ed e of the bit to hold the bit laterally extended; and resilient means for lifting Jche rigid structure.

tubular member havin a transverse recess; a cutting device inclu mg a body insertible into the tubular member and a bit upon the body projecting laterally beyond the lower end of the tubular member; a key slidable/ vin 'the body and adapted to engagethe recess; a. plunger slidable in the body;

plunger and the key having mutually inclined parts adapted to advance the key into the recess when the plunger` is depressed, and spring means io'r depressing the pluneg vr-Y w. g 5. In a device of 'the class described, a tubular member provided in its interior with l in a trans# sidable 1n the tubular member; a bit caried by the body; and yieldable locking me ns carried by the body, said means being adapted to ride into the groove and to travel thence into the -recess'. 6,-In a device ofthe class described, a tubular member provided in its interior with a sinuous goove terminatingin a transverse recess; a body slidable in the tubular mem,- ber; a bit carried by the body; al key slidable in the body, the key being adapted to ride .into the grooveand to travel thence into the recess; and resilient means for torcverse recess; a body 7. ln a device o t tubular member provided in its interior with asinuous groove terminating in a trans verse recess; a body slidable in the tubular member; a bit carried by the body; 'a key slidable in the` body/fa plunger slidable in the body, the plunger and the key having mutually inclinedparts, adapted to advance the key into the groove, the key being ada.pt. ed to move from the groove into the' recess; and resilient means for actuating the plunorer. ci 8. In a device of the class dese `ibed, a tubular member provided in its interior with a sinuous groove terminatingA in a trans-A vegse recess; a body slidable in the tubular member; a bit carried by thebedy; a ke slidable in the body, the keybeingwadapte the. I

ing Vthe -key outwardly, to enter the groove.

the class described, a.

the body: a rigid structure connected withy 4. ln a device ofthe' class'described, a

to ride into the groove and to travel thence into tbe recess; a plunger mounted to slide in the body, tbe plunger being provided with an enlarged bead` tbe bead and tbe key baring mutually inclined parts adapted to actuate the key 'when tbe plunger actuated; a spring surrounding tbe plunger and abuttingr against. the bead; and a member carried by the bread and constituting at once, means for directing tile sliding more ment oi tbc plunger` and an abutment for tbe spring.

In a device ot the class described, a tubular member buying a recess; a body movable in tbc tubular member; a bit car ried by tbe body; a key slidable in the body and adapted to engage the recess; a plunger slidable in tbe body and constituting means for advancing the key into the recess When tbe plunger is depressed; and a lifting niembei' baring means for engaging the plunger to lift tbe plunger and set the key -free.

l0. ln a device of the class described7 a tubular member having recess; a body slidable in the tubular member; a bit carried by tbe body; a key slidable in the body and adapted to engage the recess; a plunger slidable in tbe body and constituting means 'for advancing tbe key into the recess; a liftingand lowering member; means upon the said member for detacliably engaging tbe body; and removable means on the said member for securely engaging the plunger.

ll. ln a device ot' tbc class described, a tulailar member having a recess; a body slidable in tbe tubular member; a bit cai ried by the body; a key mounted in tbe body and adapted tolengage tbe recess; a plunger mounted to slide in tbe body and constituting means for actuatingtlie key to engage tbe recess; a lifting and lowering member; spring arms upon tbe said member, detachably engaged with tbe body; 'and a spring actuated pawl upon tbe said member, adapt! ed to with tbe plunger. I

Ain n device of the class described, a tubular inember having in its interior a sinnons groove terininatingin fi-transverse rcccrr; a. body mounted to .slide in tbe faber' lar member; a bit carried by tbe body; a member carried by tbc body and adapted to enter tbc groove. and to rifle. tlicncc` into tbc rece when the body is rotated; and a lowering device including resilient arms dctacbably en.' d willi the body; tbc arms being 4,engaged u ith tbe body to secure a rotation or' the body.

13. In a device ot tbe class described;aY

body; a bit carried by tbe bfalywA a key pro; 'ectina trom tbe body: a. lowering device in l e e cluding spring arms, detacbably engagedA with tbe body, the body being notched to l l l l l l l l l messie receive tbe arms, whereby tbe body may be rotated when tbe lowering member is rota'ted. l

f1.4. In a device of tbe class described, a body; an expansible element 'upon the outside olf the body; a member interposed bctween tbe cxpausible element and the body, to effect an expansion of the expansible elei ment; a plunger slidably mounted in the body; a bit pirotally connected with tbe plungeuand a connection between tbe plunger and said member.

l5. ln a device oit the class described, a` body; a gasket .surrounding tbc body; an expansion ring interposed belwcen tbc gasket and the body; a plunger mounted to slide in tbe body; a connection between the plunger and the expansion ring; and a bit piyotally connected with tbe plunger.

16. ln a device ot' tbc class described, a body; a gasket upon tbe outside oi tbe body; an expansion member interposed between tbe gasket and the body; a, plunger slidable in tbe body; a bit pivotally connected with tbe plunger; a connection between tbe plunger and the expansion member; and resilient; means actuating tbe plunger to cause a lateral moyen'ient of the bit. and to causel an advancing of tbe expansion member into tbe gasket.

l?. In a device of tbe class described, a body; a gasket upon tbe body; an exiliansion memberfmovable between the gasket and tbe body; a bit mounted to swing beyond tbe periplicry et the. body; and means fivperatiyely (mnnecting the expansion member and the bit for simultaneously swinging tbe bit be youd the periphery of the body and for advancing the expansion member into the gasket.

18. ln a device of tbe class described; a body; a gasket surrounding the body; ex'- pansible bits; and automatically oi'ierating means for simultanermsly expanding tbe bits and expanding the gasket.

1Q. ln a device of tbe class described, a body; a bit carried by the body; key moving means carried by tbc body; a combined li'lting. and lowering member; means upon tlic 'lifting and lowering member .for dctaeliably engaging the body; and removable means upon the lifting and lowering meinber for securely engaging the key moving means.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my o wu7 l have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CASWELL A. REGAN.

VVitnes' denis; MoKsoN, BRANDON. 

